MIAbites is a local food website and blog that covers the Miami food scene through the eyes of local bloggers and writers. News, Reviews, Interviews and Insights paired with beautiful photography is what makes MIAbites a special site for foodies.

And MIAbites is giving away TWO tickets to this event just by going to Twitter @MIAbites1 and retweeting the picture below with #IronForkMIA and #MIAbites. One lucky winner will be selected at random and notified by DM on July 26th.

Enter to win TWO tickets by going to MIAbites on Twitter and RT this image with #IronForkMIA and #MIAbites.

The kickoff event returns to the Hyatt Regency Miami featuring some of the finest restaurants participating during the popular Miami Spice program, which runs from August 1 to September 30, as well as dozens of other top local eateries. The footprint also extends into the James L Knight Center’s world-class theater. The event introduces culinary creations from more than 60 of South Florida’s luxury and fine-dining restaurants, including Morton’s the Steakhouse, 26 Sushi & Tapas, Miami Smokers, City Hall The Restaurant, Sugar Yummy Mama, Rusty Pelican, Novecento, and Donut Divas, just to name a few.

In addition, Miami New Times has once again partnered with the charitable organization Share Our Strength to support their No Kid Hungry campaign to bring awareness of childhood hunger in America. Attendees can participate in a silent auction during the event to support the cause, as well as get the chance to win one Grand Prize – A Night of Spice with Chef Allen Susser.

But the highlight of the evening is sure to be theFork Off Chef Competition, an "oven mitts off" fierce fight to the culinary finish between two of Miami’s hottest chefs, Eileen Andrade from FINKA Table & Tap and Dena Marino from MC Kitchen with judges Danny Serfer (Mignonette/Blue Collar), Jamie DeRosa (Tongue & Cheek/Izzy’s Fish & Oyster) and Ralph Pagano (Naked Taco). CelebratedChef Allen Susser hosts, In addition to the Fork Off Chef Competition, a specially curated Shuck It Oyster Competition presented byMidtown Oyster Bar. Chefs from select Miami Spice restaurants will be timed to see who can shuck a dozen oysters the fastest. The competitors include chefs from Mignonette, Izzy’s Fish & Oyster, J&G Grill at St Regis Bal Harbour, Lure Fishbar and The Oceanaire Seafood Room – all timed by New Times, Laine Doss.

Sounds "Shucking " awesome!

The epicurean event will take place from 7 to 10 p.m. for General Admission ticket-buyers Also available are VIP tickets, which includes entry to the event one hour early, at 6 p.m., and access to a private VIP bar and lounge area featuring exclusive entertainment and an elite selection of Miami’s best luxury dining restaurants.

MIAbites

MIAbites is a web-based community built by and for people who love food in and around the Miami area. We love to eat and we love to log time in our kitchens almost as much as we love our families and careers. If you let us, we’d like to be that friend of yours that always seems to know the right place to go, the right time to visit, and the right thing to order. By working together we can help each other get the most out of living in South Florida and make each bite count. If this sounds like your kind of project, please join us in bringing it to life. We may be building the site, but it’s your community.

Search By Neighborhood

Where to EAT in Miami? The Miami Boat &Yacht Show is in town and our contributors pick the Best Bites, including on Miami Beach, in Midtown, the Design District, Wynwood and in emerging areas like MiMo and Edgewater. UPDATED for 2018!